Improvement in stamp-cancelers



E.V W. BRENNER. Stamp-Canceler.

Patented June v3, 1879.`

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. ATTORNEYS NPETERS. Priora-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTONV D C.

UNITED STATES IPISTTENT5 OFFICE.

ERNEST W. BRENNER, OF FORT TOTTEN, DAKOTA TERRITORY, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO OOTAVE LAROSE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN STAMP-CANCELERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,139, dated J une 3, 1879; application filed January 10, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST W. BRENNER, of Fort Totten, in the county of French, Dakota Territory, have invented a new and Improved Stamp-Canceler; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciflation, in which- Figure lis a si e elevation, partly in see tion, showing in dotted lines the movementA of the devices. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of the *tubular case; Fig. 3 is a detail of the ink-reservoir, and Fig. 4 a detail of the canceling-bit.

My invention relates to a device for canceling postage-stamps, and at the same time applying the postmark to theletter. Itis based upon the general principle of alongitudinallymoving handle sliding over and having connection with a central spirally-grooved shaft carrying canceling-points below, so that the descent of the handle causes an axial movement of the central shaft, and by rotating the points on its lower end cancels the stamp by the same movement which applies the postmark.

The improvements consist in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the canceling and postmarking device, and in the peculiar arrangement therewith of devices for automatically inking the postmarking-stamp, aS hereinafter fully described.

In the drawings, A represents the longitudinally-slidin g handle, which moves over the central tubular case B B. The upper end, B, of this tubular case is reduced in size, and about it is Wound a spiral spring, G, which bears at its lower end against the shoulder a, and at its upper end against an inwardly-projecting flange, b, at the top of the handle, so that the effect of the tension of said spring is to hold the handle in an elevated position.

Inside of the lower portion, B', of the'tubular case is arranged the canceling-shaft D. This shaft carries the canceling-points at its lower end, and has in its cylindrical surface a spiral groove running the full length of the shaft. One side of the tubular case is slotted, as at c, throughout the greater portion of its length, and through this slot there projects the end of a screw, E. This screw is arf ranged in a collar, F, at the lower end of the handle, and its end, after passing through the slot of the tubular case, enters the spiral groove of the canceling-shaft, so that as the handle is forced down the canceling-shaft is rotated and its points below caused to tear the stamp, the tension of the spring serving to restore the handle again to its elevated position.

The two parts B B of the tubular H case are made in separate pieces, and are attached by a screw-threaded connection, so as to permit the canceling-shaft to be readily removed. The points which this shaft carries are formed upon a separate bit, d, of hardened steel, which is detachably connected to the shaft, so that when the old points became dulled or broken they may be removed and replaced by a new set. In forming the points the end of the bit d is concaved or conntersunk, and its edges cut out from the exterior, so as -to form a circular row of teeth or serrations.

The shoulder c at the lower end of shaft D constitutes the lower bearing-point of the shaft, and it rests above an inwardly-projecting Ilan ge at the lower end of the tubular case.

To regulate the amount of protrusion of the cancelingteeth,`the exterior surface of thel lower end of the tube is screw-threaded, and a cap, f, screwed thereupon, through which the points may project more or less by screwing the same in one direction or the other.

This cap is provided with points upon its face, to enable it to iirmly seat itself upon the paper while the canceling-points are operating, and said cap is held to its adjustmentby a checkring, g.

To render the cancelingpoints yielding to hard substances which may be `in the letter, the canceling-shaft D is backed by a spiral spring, G, which is seated in the upper portion of the tubular case. this spring is made tobear with as little friction as possible upon the canceling-shaft by means of a centering-piece, H, whose upper end is made cup-shaped to receive the end of the spring, and whose lower end is made conical and pointed, and enters a seat in the upper end of the canceling-shaft.

To the canceling devices, as thus describedI The lower end of are attached the postmark-stamp and inkin g arrangement, as follows: The collar F at the bottom of the handle is extended laterally and downwardly to form a frame, F', in which is socketed the stem of a postmark-stamp, I. From the extremity of this frame IW there rises a plate, J, which is braced and suitably attached by screws to the said frame-piece. This plate stands in a vertical position when in use, and parallel with the handle. It carries upon its outer face an inking-pad, K, and at its bottom end is bent or curved into the plane of the .face of the postmark-stamp. At the upper end of thisn plate is detachably arranged an ink-reservoir, I3. This reservoir is of a cylindrical shape, and is provided with a screw-plug, t', at one end, through which the ink is inserted, and an air-vent, 7c. This reservoir is held between a curved offset of the plate and a detachable clamp, j, and in such position it has a slight longitudinal adjustment, guided by alug, k, which passesthrough a slot in the curved offset ofthe plate.

The object of the adjustment is to permit an oriice, l, in the reservoir to'be thrown into or out from registration with a corresponding orice, l', in the plate, so as to allow the ink to flow down upon the pad or stop its ilow, as may be desired.

M is the inking-roller. rEhis is carried in a yoke-shaped frame at the lower end of a semielliptical spring, N, which spring is connected to the upper end of the tubular case B above the handle, and is provided with a guide-roller, on.

The operation is as follows: The device being grasped by the handle, the -lower end of the canceling-shaft is placed upon the stamp, and the handle thrust forcibly downward. As it descends the canceling-shaft is rotated, and the circular row of teeth are made to eut a disk from the stamp, or at least to mutilate it so that it cannot be fraudulently used again. When the limit of the downward movement of the handle'has been reached, the postmarkstamp also strikes Lthe letter, and thus simultaneously applies the postmark with the cancellation of the stamp. As the handle starts in its descent, the inking-roller being attached through spring N to the tubular case B, (which is stationary,) it will be seen that said roller is forced to one side from off the face of the postmark-stamp by the travel of the guide-roller m over the curved offsetting track a at the upper en d of the plate J, and as the plate J descends with the handle the inking-pad is made to pass over the inking-roller. As the handle and plate J rise again from the tension of the spring, the inking-roller passes from the elasticity of the spring N across the face of the postmark-stamp to ink it again, which action is repeated as often as the device is operated.

Then there are more than one stamp to be canceled on the same letter, the device is operated in the same manner for each stamp, eX- cept that the handle, instead of being forced down to its limit, is forced down only part of the way.

Having thus described my invention, Ywhat I claim as new is- 1. The sliding handle A, having flange b, the tubular case B B, passing entirely through the handle, and made of different diameters, and having slot c, the spring C, arranged in the handle about the smaller portion of the tubular case, the spirally-grooved cancelingshaft l), and the screw E, arranged on the col-Y lar of the handle, so as to pass through the slot in the case and enter the spiral groove, all combined and arranged as shown and described.

2. The tubular case B B', made in two sections, connected by a screw-thread, in combination with the canceling-shaft D, the centering-piece H, and the spring G, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the movable handle A, carrying postmarking-stainp I and inkingpad K, of the tubular caseB B and the spring N, attached at its upper end to the tubular case, and carrying at its lower end a roller, M, adapted to pass alternately over the inkingpad and postmark-stamp, as described.

4. In combina-tion with a hand-stamp, the guide-roller m, attached to the spring N, and the plate J, having an offset at its upper end to throw the inking-roller laterally away from the stamp, as described.

5. In combination with a hand-stamp, the ink-reservoir, arranged in a seat in the upper end of the pad-plate, and made adjustable in said seat to bring its outlets into or away from registration with an opening in the plate,

substantially as described.-

ERNEST W. BRENNER.

Witnesses EDWD. WV. BYRN, SoLoN C. KnMoN. 

